Match Reports 2010-2011 Season

** Now in reverse chronological order - latest game first !! **

Sun 03-Apr-11 :-v- AFC Westend (SPL Div 2)
The season finished on a bit of a low as the Panthers put in a spirited performance against a physical opponent and were a little unlucky to be beaten although had their numerous goalscoring chances been taken a win was within reach. Fleet started the better of the two teams and seemed to settle quickly despite the attentions of the tall and pacy AFC Westend forward. Fleet were vulnerable to the long ball and quick counter attacking of the opponents and warning signs were given when the centre forward raced clear to threaten the Fleet goal. The opening goal came from that route, Fleet conceding the ball cheaply in midfield and a long pass sending the forward clear to slide the ball past Kizza. Fleet's best efforts came from speculative high balls which the keeper was allowed to catch unchallenged. With the defence playing better than the previous day it was disappoinitng that a second goal was conceded before half time as almost a carbon copy of the first. A few minutes earlier Kizza had challenged bravely to thwart the onrushing forward but on this occasion stood his ground and was beaten for a second time with the defence chasing back in vain.

The second half belonged to Fleet who pinned their opponents in their own half for long periods.  The deficit was reduced when Tom Skinner hooked the ball in after it had bobbled around the penalty area for what seemed an age. Shortly after Fleet were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area in a dangerous position and were unlucky to see Liam Stephenson's fine effort crash off the top of the crossbar. The Panthers pressed for an equaliser, ever aware of the threat of the breakaway and earned a succession of corners which unfortunately came to nothing. With KIzza distributing the ball quickly from defence Fleet continued to press. Some fine passing from Liam dissecting the AFC Westend defence setup Andy Ingle on three or four occassions but sadly the shooting boots had been left at home and, as if to rub salt in to the wounds, a third goal from the AFC Westend forward settled tha game with little over five minutes remaining. Another quick attack with the defence caught flat footed saw the forward rush through unchallenged and lift the ball over a static Kizza who appeared to change his mind about coming for the ball. The game finshed 3-1 but could easily have been 4-2 to Fleet had chances been taken and more committed challenges made.

Standout performances from Man of the Match Oli Copeland who worked tirelessly throughout, Liam Stephenson who showed flashes of what he can do for the team with his incisive passing and battling, Andy Ingle for getting in to position to score (even though the chances were spurned), Timmsy at left back who again looked solid and George and Ozzy in the centre of defence (welcome back Ozzy after yesterdays nightmare). Josh Clarke, Monty, Tom Skinner, Kizza, Tom Price (who had a bit of an injury) and Sam Tookey all played their part but in Keith's final game as manager a win eluded the team. 5 wins, 4 draws and 9 defeats from the 18 league games in a competetive SPL Division 2 campaign. End of season report - could have done better but showed promise on several occassions !  

Sat 02-Apr-11 :-v- Milford Pumas (SPL Div 2)
Two goals in the last 5 minutes salvaged a barely deserved draw for the Panthers after a disappointing effort against visiting Milford.  After a quiet start Milford took advantage of some poor play to open the scoring. Having conceded the ball cheaply in midfield and then failing to clear the Milford winger ran unchallenged in to the area and his cross shot eluded everyone apart from his fellow striker at the far post who slotted home. It was a horrible goal to concede and Fleet just couldn't seem to get in to the game coming second in most tackles and failing to create any chances. With the exception of the standout George Keeley the rest of the normally reliable defence looked shaky when attacked. The introduction of Tom Skinner livened things up but the first shot on target came after 25 minutes and hardly troubled the keeper.

The second half was little better as Milford extended their lead within three minutes of the restart. A feeble challenge allowed the Milford right winger to cross a weak pass in to the area where only the diminuitive Milford forward seemed interested in getting to the ball and scored easily. Fleet tried to rally but despite the efforts of Oli Copeland and MoM Tom Price failed to threaten when in dangerous positions. When Monty blazed over after being presented with a decent shooting chance it looked as though a defeat was on the cards. With just under five minutes remaining Tom Skinner was set free down the left,  ran in to the corner of the area and saw his cross sail over the keeper and in to the goal for his 20th league goal of the campaign. Buoyed by the goal Fleet threw players forward and equalised with just two minutes remaining when a fine passing move saw Tom Skinner cross the ball from the left for centreback George Keeley to sweep the ball in to the goal from 6 yards. There was still time for both sides to threaten to steal a winner before the referee brought proceedings to an end and a 2-2 result. One game left - I wonder which Panthers team will turn up tomorrow ?

Sun 27-Mar-11 :-v- Milford Pumas (SPL Div 2)
The Panthers returned to form with a comprehensive win against Milford Pumas to pull themselves above Milford with only two games to play. The first half finished scoreless with Fleet dominating the play but failing to take any of the numerous chances they created.

With Milford rarely threatening it was really down to the lads to take the game and two goals in quick succession settled the match. The first strike came from Joshua Montgomery with Man of the Match Liam Stephenson adding a second minutes later with a fine shot from outside of the penalty area. With the defensive line again in fine form Kizza hardly saw the ball and a third goal, the second from Monty wrapped up the points.

A good display from the team after last weeks disappointing match. With two games to go it is up to the Panthers to pull themselves up the table in a very tight division. 

Sun 20-Mar-11 :-v- Worplesdon Rangers (SPL Div 2)
The Panthers recent run of good form came to an abrupt end as they suffered a heavy defeat against high flying Worplesdon.  In a match run by an over officious, inconsistant and intrusive referee Fleet were outfought and eventually overpowered by a stronger, more physical and aggressive opponent. Fleet had the better of the early exchanges with Tom Skinner unable to capitalise on two good chances when sent clear but as the game went on Worplesdon started to dominate. They had already come close to scoring before Fleet conceded the first goal with twenty minutes played allowing the Worplesdon player to run almost half the length of the pitch unchallenged before rifling the ball past Kizza. Things could have been worse when a free-kick just outside the box, needlessly given away by Ozzy for handball, crashed against the crossbar with Kizza beaten. Heads began to drop but the half ended 1-0 and there was all to play for.

However within minutes of the restart the game was effectively conceded. First the tall, strong and pacy Worplesdon forward, who had given the defence a torrid time in the first half, scored after chasing a long through ball and easily outpacing and holding off the defence before slotting the ball in to the net after a half-hearted challenge from Kizza.  Fleet tried to rally but when Josh Clarke failed to convert a chance from two feet out after a battling effort by Tom Skinner and a free-kick from Liam Stephenson sailed well wide of the goal the writing was on the wall. Another long ball saw almost a carbon copy of the second goal as the forward muscled his way through, evaded another strangely uncommited challenge from the keeper and rolled the ball home. Shortly after he completed his hat-trick with probably the best goal of the game as he lashed the ball home having again been sent clear.

The 4-0 scoreline appeared to flatter Worplesdon although, on reflection, Fleet were outplayed and outfought throughout rarely threatening the Worplesdon goal and always looking vulnerable in midfield. Another fine performance from the resurgent Alex Timms and a Man of the Match effort from the energetic Josh Montgomery (the referee's friend !) were not enough on the day. With only three games remaining Fleet need a couple of wins to pull clear of their rivals at the foot of a closely contested division. 

Sun 13-Mar-11 :-v- Claygate Royals Swans (SPL Div 2)
The Panthers avenged an earlier league defeat to Claygate but made heavy weather of it after opening up a commanding lead. A brisk start saw Fleet playing some nice controlled football and the early efforts were rewarded when Liam Stephenson's pass found Tom Skinner who saw his weak shot creep just inside the post. Instead of pushing home the early advantage Fleet seemd to back off a little allowing their opponents in to the game although they rarely threatened. Two goals in three minutes then should have settled the match. First Tom Skinner created space on the right flank and his cross was well met by Andy Ingle (with his right foot) to make it 2-0 and a corner two minutes later was turned in to his own goal by a Claygate defender under pressure from George Keeley. At 3-0 the game should have been over but the Panthers eased off and conceded a sloppy goal just a few minutes from the break. Winning the ball easily in midfield Claygate attacked down their right wing and battled through several weak challenges before crossing for their forward to slot the ball home.

The goal gave Claygate momentum and they came out battling in the second half winning most 50-50 balls and starting to dominate play. Some resolute defending saw the Panthers survive but they were pinned in their own half for long spells. With just under 20 minutes to play a long ball over the top of the flatfooted Fleet defence was latched on to by the tall forward who ran in to the area and calmly slotted the ball past Kizza. As Fleet heads dropped the Claygate players almost tangibly grew in stature and mounted attack after attack with only some desperate defending and some good saves from Kizza keeping them out. Any counter attacks were quickly smothered by the well organised Claygate defence and Fleet were hanging on to their slender lead. With two minutes remaining the lads did break out and a nice move started by Alex Timms saw Andy Ingle, Tom Skinner and Monty combine to get the ball in to the area where it was stabbed high in to the net by Josh Clarke to the great relief of the Panthers players and parents. A hard fought 4-2 win for the team and a valuable three points in a game that should have been won more convincingly than it was. Man of the Match went to Alex Timms for a great performance at left back with George Keeley getting another honorable mention.

Sun 27-Feb-11 :-v- Horsley B (SPL Div 2)
Excellent all round effort from the Panthers as they earned a deserved victory against a dogged Horsley team on a heavy pitch at Peter Driver. Fleet had the better of the opening exchanges with Tom Price and Monty working hard in midfield and Andy Ingle and Tom Skinner working well down the left flank although Tom's first touch was often heavy and let him down when put through. With the defence of Sam, Ozzy, George and Timmsy looking solid and Kizza commanding his area and kicking well Horsley posed little threat.  It was somewhat against the run of play that it took a superb 'Bobby Moore like' tackle from Timmsy on the edge of  the penalty area to thwart a rare attack with the defence exposed. With ten minutes of the half remaining it appeared the Panthers run of bad luck was to continue when Ozzy clumsily brought down the Horsley winger and conceded a stonewall penalty.  However it was time for Kizza to be the hero as he dived to his right to push the resultant shot against the post then scrambled to his feet to block the follow-up shot (with the aid of Timmsy who had rushed back to help)  before dropping on and securing the ball.  A superb effort and a pivotal moment in the game. With no further major incidents the first half finished scoreless.

With Liam Stephenson and Alex Bhagat replacing Josh Clarke and Andy Ingle at the start of the second period Fleet looked to push forward but seemed to lose their shape with attacks too often breaking down without causing the Horsley defence any problems. It was Horsley that perhaps looked the more dangerous making better us of the slope but without really threatening Kizza's goal. Andy Ingle replaced Oli Copeland on the right wing and had a couple of chances but was unable to find a telling finish. With ten minutes remaining the deadlock was broken when Liam's through ball found Tom Skinner who took raced past the last defender and the keeper before sliding a well placed shot in to the net from an ever narrowing angle. lt was a fine finish but the second goal which would have settled the nerves wouldn't come although Fleet created some more chances. With time running out Horsley threw players forward and a succession of corners and throw-ins near the Panthers area were well defended in a frantic finish where the referee managed to find almost 5 minutes of added time (with no Alex Ferguson in sight !). It was with a huge sense of relief that the whistle sounded to end the game and give the lads there first win for a while but their third good performance in a row. All of the lads played well, the defence were again well organised and strong with Man of the Match going to Kizza for a solid display of goalkeeping and the excellent penalty save.

Sun 13-Feb-11 :-v- Guildford City Leopards (SPL Div 2)
The Leopards entered the Panthers den and were fortunate to escape with their 100% league record intact as the lads put in possibly their most commited display this season. On a horrible afternoon and a heavy, boggy pitch both teams battled hard in difficult conditions. The Panthers defence were again outstanding as was Kizza in goal and the best chances of the first half fell to Fleet who found the very good Guildford keeper also in top form. The clearest chance came when Monty played a superb ball over the top of the defence for Tom Skinner to outpace the defenders only to see his shot well saved and a similar outcome followed a few minutes later when Tom was again sent clear. At the other end Kizza looked dominant in the area and also pulled of a fine save to keep the score 0-0 at the break.

Fleet started the second half promisingly as long kicks from Kizza looked to set Michael Botevyle and Tom Skinner free although it was Guildford broke the deadlock in the seventh minute of the second period as they broke away following a Fleet attack. Sam Tookey. who had played a fine game, was beaten to a long clearance by the lone Leopards forward who ran in to the area and clipped the ball over the onrushing Kizza and saw it just roll over the goalline as if in slow motion.

Fleet regrouped and pressed forward but too many attacks broke down without a shot being made and the very good Guildford keeper clearing up any ball that managed to come through. The final few minutes saw Fleet throw everything at their visitors including a mazy run from Ozzy who brought the ball out of defence and in to attack. It isn't unfair to say that Guildford were hanging on at the end with their defence happy to hoof the ball clear or out of play. From a corner in the final minutes Kizza came up to add his height to the attack and had a shot from the edge of the box which was blocked and no Fleet player able to react to the ball that seemed stuck in the mud for an eternity before being cleared. The delighted cheers from the Leopards at the final whistle showed how relieved they were to escape with a win - the hardest fought game they will have to play this season. 

The lads can all be very proud of themselves. Oli Copeland and Josh Montgomery gave their best displays this season, Tom Price battled hard in midfield and the defence of Sam Tookey, Louis Astle, Ozzy, George Keeley and Alex Timms were again superb. Kizza was back to his best in goal and it seemed unfair to pick a Man of the Match with the award going to the Team for what was a great team effort. 

Sun 06-Feb-11 :-v- Worplesdon Rangers (SPL Div 2)
Vastly improved performance from the Panthers who were unlucky not to take all three points against visiting Worplesdon. With no substitutes to call on the Panthers formation was fixed with everyone given assigned roles. The opening exchanges were quite even with much of the play in the middle of the pitch until the tall and fast Worplesdon forwards broke free and only a fantastic double save by Kizza and a goal line block by Alex Osborne prevented a score. Having survived that scare Fleet started to assert themselves and were unlucky not to take the lead when Tom Skinner rattled the crossbar. On eighteen minutes the Panthers deservedly took the lead when Oli Copeland sent Tom Skinner free and he rounded the keeper and smashed the ball in left footed from a narrowing angle. The Panthers looked more confident and organised and it was a travesty when Worplesdon equalised shortly before the break with the scorer knowing almost nothing of the goal. A long through ball was chased in to the Fleet area, Kizza elected to kick clear rather than gather the ball in and his clearance crashed against the forward and rolled agonisingly in to the goal with George Keeley unable to get to it in time. The forward had to leave the pitch winded.

The second half was almost one way traffic with Fleet laying siege to the Worplesdon goal but unable to get the vital score. Alex Osborne went close from a corner, George Keeley had aheader well saved and saw a rasping long distance shot go narrowly wide. Fleet were unable to capitalise on a number of corners nor a Liam Stephenson free kick from the edge of the area and when Worplesdon did break away the solid back four of Sam Tookey, Ozzy, George and Timmsy held firm. MoM went to Alex Osborne for another gutsy and almost faultless display but he was closely pushed by the consistently reliable George, Sam and Timmsy and a more confident looking Kizza.

Sun 30-Jan-11 :-v- Farnham United Falcons (SPL Div 2)
The Panthers poor run continued as they capitulated against a Farnham side who they were well capable of beating but who outfought them in almost all departments. The lads started brightly and the first two chances of the game fell to Tom Skinner but he pulled his shots wide. With the team looking organised it was against the run of play that Farnham took the lead. The move started at the opposite end as Andy Ingle was sent free but his weak shot was saved and cleared by the keeper setting up an attack down the Fleet right. Some half hearted tackles let the winger break free and cross where the forward out battled George and slid the ball home. However there was little sign of the carnage to come when the Panthers equalised within 3 minutes when a good move saw Liam find space in the area and score well in the corner of the goal. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there. Farnham retook the lead when a speculative shot from distance sailed over Kizza and under the bar and extended it to 3-1 when Fleet conceded a cheap corner and failed to clear the ball which bounced in to the goal off of the unfortunate George Keeley.

The second half saw Fleet change their formation but soon went further behind as the charitable defence conceded easily when Kizza made a fine save only to see a static Alex Timms fail to clear the ball and the Farnham forward smashed the ball home. The score was extended to 5-1 when a cross from the left eluded everyone apart from the three Farnham forwards chasing in at the far post. With ten minutes to playTom Skinner grabbed a goal when sent clear and scored again after a scramble in the Farnham area as their defence tried to emulate ours. With time running out Farnham scored a sixth, their player showing more desire than anyone in a Fleet shirt to attack a cross and score with ease. Fleet were saved further embarrassment when the referee changed his mind having initially given a penalty against Kizza when he appeared to have taken the ball. A well taken late goal from Josh Clarke as time ran out was only a consolation for another disappointing effort. Man of the Match was given to George Keeley who again performed consistently under difficult circumstances.

Sun 23-Jan-11 :-v- Claygate Royal Swans (SPL Div 2)
On the basis that if you have nothing nice to say then you should say nothing this would be a very short report. A very disappointing, lacklustre, heartless performance from the Panthers who slumped to defeat against Claygate. After gifting their opponents the lead on 11 minutes when Alex Osborne was dispossessed trying to dribble the ball out of his own area the Panthers were fortunate to be level at the break when they were awarded a debatable penalty on 28 minutes. Tom Skinner went down under a clumsy challenge and got up to calmly slot the penalty in to the corner of the goal.

Within two minutes of the restart a horror show in defence allowed a Claygate forward to prod the ball past Kizza as the static defence stood watching. The only chance of salvaging a point came when an excellent pass through to Andy Ingle ended in a scuffed shot which was easily saved by the keeper. Claygate comfortably closed out the game and it was only some fine keeping by Man of the Match Kizza and the inside of the post that kept the scoreline at 2-1. Things can only get better from here.

Sun 16-Jan-11 :-v- Halliford Colts (SPL Plate)
Ultimately thrilling cup match saw a gutsy performance from the Panthers who pushed their unbeaten Division1 opponents to the finish in an entertaining tie in the SPL Plate. Halliford had the better of the opening exchanges without really threatening the Fleet goal and having settled in the Panthers defence looked relatively comfortable with Sam Tookey, Alex Osborne, Gerge Keeley and Alex Bhagat working well as a unit. With Oli Copeland and Andy Ingle a threat on the wings and Tom Price and Monty working hard in midfield the game looked evenly balanced until over twenty five minutes play when Halliford opened the scoring.  An attack down the right flank saw the tall Halliford winger finally cut inside Sam and take the ball round Kizza to score well. The Panthers response was almost instant. Having switched Andy Ingle to the right wing to bring on Timmsy on the left and push the versatile Alex Bhagat to left wing a good pass released Andy who ran in to the box and crossed for Josh Clarke to stab the ball home. As half-time approached it looked as though the sides would go in level but it was no to be as Halliford kept the ball well and set up one of their players who saw his shot from the edge of the area somehow elude Kizza's grasp and go over the line. It was a cruel goal.

The second half saw Halliford start to play more aggressively with some late challenges going un-punished as Fleet's performance started to rattle them. Fleet pressed forward and forced a number of corners but it was from one of these that Halliford broke away and extended their lead to 3-1 as the forward outpaced the defence and crashed the ball through Kizza. Rather than let their heads drop which could easily have happened Fleet got stuck in and deservedly pulled a goal back when Andy Ingle, back on the left, broke free and crossed for Josh Clarke who controlled the ball well and crashed a stunning shot past the keeper. From then on it was Fleet who looked the most likely to score, Josh Clarke having a couple more half chances and in the final few minutes a free kick from Louis Astle creating panic in the home defence. As time ran out Fleet won a corner and Kizza came forward to create havoc in the box but depite coming close Halliford managed to clear and were clearly relieved to hear the final whistle. If the lads can put in the same effort and battling performance in the coming league games they should get back on the winning trail. After careful consideration Keith nominated Andy Ingle as Man of the Match with the excellent Sam Tookey and scorer Josh Clarke pushing him close.

Sun 09-Jan-11 :-v- Teddington Stags (SPL Div 2)
The first game of the new year after almost a month without a competitive game (or any game come to think of it) ended in disappointment for the Panthers who deserved better from their visit to Teddington and would have done so if they had taken their chances in what was a cliched game of two halves ! With keeper Kizza unavailable the team were indebted to Liam Stephenson who bravely stepped forward to take over the goalie gloves. After a bright start it was a poor goal that gave Teddington the lead when some half-hearted challenges allowed the Teddington winger to cross the ball where Liam was given no chance as the ball was stabbed home. A second goal soon followed where again some indecisive defending allowed the more determined Teddington forward to smash the ball home as it bobbled around in the penalty area. With Tom Price battling hard and Oli Copeland and Sam Tookey pairing well down the right Fleet tried to get in to the game but chances were scarce and it was Teddington who always looked the more likely to score. However, it was a cruel end to the half that seemed to end the game as a contest. With the time up and 4 minutes of Fergie Time played Teddington worked a nice passing move and set up their player on the edge of the area who struck a fine shot in to the top corner of the goal beyond the static Liam who had no chance. Where the extra time had come from is a mystery and the half soon ended after this goal went in leaving the Panthers 3-0 down.
The second half saw Fleet battle back strongly and start to win the 50-50 challenges more than in the first period. The normally prolific Tom Skinner had several chances, set up by some fine through balls from the midfield and long clearances by Liam, only to be foiled by a good save from the opposing keeper and some uncharacteristic poor fininshing. Oli Copeland also blasted over from close range following a corner before Andy Ingle finally scored with a good shot from the edge of the area having been set up by Tom Skinner's intelligent pass. In between all of the action in the Teddington goalmouth Fleet were indebted to Liam who made a fantastic diving save to prevent a further goal. The game ended without further scoring although on chances this game could have ended 5-5. Great performances from Liam in goal, Man of the Match Tom Price and the ever improving and reliable George Keeley. The team now need a couple of wins to boost their confidence and start climbing up the league table.

Sun 12-Dec-10 :-v- Abbey Rangers A (League Cup)
After several weeks without a game due to the weather and frozen pitches the Panthers entertained Premier League Abbey Rangers in the League Cup. Unfortunately the seasonal message of good will was taken too literally by the lads as they gifted Abbey Rangers two goals, the first after 20 seconds, and crashed out of the cup despite putting in a gutsy performance against a very good team.
Straight from the kick-off Abbey pushed forward, Fleet backed off and the winger was allowed to cross the ball in to the 6-yard box, Kizza was rooted to the spot and a forward ran in unchallenged to prod the ball home. The shell-shocked Panthers tried to rally but their lively opponents seized control of the game and only some excellent defending by the impressive back line of Sam Tookey, Alex Osborne, George Keeley (including a header off the goal line) and Alex Timms and a couple of sharp saves from Kizza prevented further scoring. To their credit the Panthers started to battle back and Liam Stephenson, on for the injured Tom Price, added some grit to the midfield. A pivotal moment came when the prolific Tom Skinner was sent clear by Michael Botevyle's pass but dragged his shot wide when one on one with the keeper. An equaliser would certainly have made the game interesting as the half ended at 0-1.The start of the second half saw the game effectively finished when Abbey took a 2-0 lead as a high ball in to the area was fumbled by Kizza, the low sun causing problems for him as did the lack of a cap ........, and gratefully rolled in to the net by the waiting forward. Understandably heads dropped a little but Fleet tried hard to open a well organised Abbey defence without troubling the keeper. As the game wore on and the team was changed around to try and press for a score Abbey struck twice on the break taking their chances well and ran out 4-0 winners in a game that they were always the better side but did not out class the Panthers. MoM was awarded to Timmsy for a superb display at left back although the entire defence were worthy of mention. Back to league duties next week and hopefully a Christmas present of a win for the manager and coach ! 

Sun 21-Nov-10 :-v- Horsley B (SPL Div 2)
They say what goes around comes around and after fortunately escaping with a win last week the Panthers slipped to an unfortunate defeat as they failed to come to terms with the small Horsley pitch.  The game started slowly and although a rather jaded looking Panthers seemed comfortable it was Horsley that were quicker to the loose ball and more dominant in the tackle. The breakthrough goal came shortly after the Panthers made their first substitution as a cross from the left was allowed to reach an unmarked forward at the far side of the area. The shot was excellently saved by Kizza only for the rebound to be bundled over the line by another Horsley player as the static defence looked on. The only effort of note from the Panthers in the first period came from a fine shot by Josh Clarke which flew just past the upright but as the half ended the Horsley keeper had not had a save to make.The second period saw Fleet up the tempo of the game but they seemed to be crowded out by the small pitch as the resolute Horsley defence held firm and their forwards always posed a threat on the breakaway. When Josh Clarke saw another fine shot come back off the crossbar to find no Fleet forwards following up it looked like a goal would not come but with a little over ten minutes to go Andy Ingle's excellent corner was met by a superb header from Tom Skinner which flew past the keeper. The next few minutes saw Fleet dominate the play only to have a loud penalty appeal turned down by the referee and Josh Montgomery missing a golden chance to settle the game as his well struck shot sailed over the smaller sized goal. With two minutes to play the fates played their hand as Oli Copeland slipped attempting to clear the ball which was then played straight in to the left hand side of the Fleet penalty area where the unchallenged forward saw his shot  elude Kizza's dive and beat him at his near post. It was a cruel blow and a soft goal but even as time ran out Fleet won a free kick on the edge of the Horsley penalty area only to see Andy Ingle's tame shot blocked by the wall shortly to be followed by the final whistle.Tom Price was awarded Man of the Match for a dogged performance with Alex Osborne and Sam Tookey pushing him close. A disappointing result and performance from the lads who will face a sterner test in the cup next week.

Sun 14-Nov-10 :-v- Guildford Saints United (SPL Div 2)
The Panthers rode their luck to complete a hard fought double over Guildford Saints United who will have been disappointed to come away empty handed from a game that they dominated for long periods. Playing in constant rain Guildford showed that they had learned from the Panthers earlier victory as they played high up the pitch hoping to catch the lively Tom Skinner offside. In the opening exchanges it was Guildford that threatened most and they squandered three good chances as their pacy forward and some fine passing opened up a flat footed Panthers defence. Against the run of play however it was the Fleet side that took the lead as Josh Clarke won a loose ball and threaded a pass through to Tom Skinner who raced clear and finished well.  A second nearly followed as Andy Ingle produced a fine save from the Guildford keeper with a firmly hit shot. The lead didn't last long and another quick attack saw the Guildford centre forward race clear and slide the ball across the area past  the advancing Kizza where another forward was quicker than the leaden defence and crashed the ball home. Worse was to follow for Fleet as with half time approaching the half cleared ball fell to a Guildford player at the edge of the area and his tame shot somehow squirmed under Kizza and in to the net.To their credit the Panthers rallied with Tom Price battling hard in midfield, Alex Bhagat and Alex Timms solid at fullback and wingers Oli Copeland and Andy Ingle dangerous on the break. It was a fine tackle and a good pass from Timmsy that sent Andy away down the left and his excellent cross eluded the Guildford keeper and was met by Michael Botevyle who scored well. The goal gave momentum back to Fleet and they took the lead when Tom Skinner broke clear from Liam Stephenson's fine pass and unselfishly squared the ball for Michael to score his second. Guildford threw everything at the Panthers in the closing minutes and only some excellent keeping from Kizza, who more than made up for the earlier error, prevented an equaliser. There were several notable performances from the lads with Kizza, the Tom's, the Alex's and Andy all worthy of mention and the MoM award was given to Oli Copeland for his best performance so far this season.

Sun 07-Nov-10 :-v- Guildford City Leopards (SPL Div 2)
After a two week break the Panthers were mauled by the top of the table Leopards on a heavy, sloping pitch at Guildford. Aware of the Leopards unbeaten and prolific start to the season the lads were warned not to concede early but were caught cold within 3 minutes as Guildford counter attacked and sent their excellent centre forward through on goal to score with a well placed shot. To their credit Fleet battled back making use of the slope and Tom Skinner's pace to create chances of their own although two clear chances were not taken. Guildford always threatened coming forward but  it was Fleet who levelled when Josh Clarke slotted home after the ball had been bobbling around in the Guildford area.  The excitement was short lived as the Leopards scored a second when the defence failed to clear their lines and bundled home a third minutes later from another pacy attack. Within a minute though Fleet were back in the game at 3-2 as Tom Skinner scored a superb goal with a lofted shot from a narrow angle.  However the decisive goal came just before the break when another attack down the Panthers right ended with another well taken goal to give Guildford a 4-2 lead and the advantage of the slope going in to the second half.The second period was almost all one way as Guildford poured forward and the Panthers often left to desperate defending with Alex Bhagat again outstanding at fullback. An own goal from Louis Astle, who unfortunately turned a cross in to the goal and two well taken efforts finished the scoring with only some exceptional saves from Kizza keeping the score down. At the final whistle the Panthers had been well beaten by 7-2 although the scoreline was a little flattering to Guildford City Leopards who are by far the best team in the division and gave the Panthers a harsh lesson in how to take their chances.  MoM was awarded to Liam Stephenson for a solid performance throughout.

Sun 17-Oct-10 :-v- Farnham United Falcons (SPL Div 2)
A subdued performance from the Panthers in a game they should probably have won but could easily have lost making the end result of a draw a reasonable outome. The match started brightly with Fleet looking the more dangerous but with Farnham threatening on the break. The best early chance fell to Tom Skinner who was put clear by a nice flick pass from Michael Botevyle only to drag his shot well wide. As the game progressed Farnham started to dominate the midfield winning most of the 50-50 balls and they took the lead following an easily conceded corner. From a good cross keeper Kieran Patel called for the ball but fumbled it in to the centre of the penalty area where it was lifted back in to the goal despite the valiant attempt of Ozzy to head it away.After the interval the Panthers changed a few players and positions in an effort to beak down the Farnham side and eventually equalised when MoM George Keeley won a tackle in midfield, brought the ball forward and played in Tom Skinner who smashed the ball home for his 10th league goal of the campaign. For a short period Fleet were on top and chances fell to the lively Oli Copeland, Josh Clarke and Tom Skinner but none were taken. Farnham also threatened as Fleet pushed forward and came close on several occasions. The game degenerated in to a game of route one football with both keepers launching long and high kicks for their respective forwards to chase. A flurry of corners in the last few minutes saw Farnham finish the most dangerous but Fleet held on to the 1-1 scoreline.

Sun 10-Oct-10 :-v- United Services Portsmouth (County Cup)
A brave performance from the lads against a skillful, fast and well organised United Services team although the final scoreline, inflated by a flurry of late goals,  doesn't do the Panthers justice. With the game scoreless after 10 minutes, despite heavy pressure, the Portsmouth team started to get niggly with each other and it was unfortunately a sloppy goal that gave them the lead as the defence failed to clear and a deflected shot bobbled inside the post having looked to be going wide.The Panthers fought back and equalised with a well taken individual goal from the inform Tom Skinner who raced on to a throughball and rounded the keeper before calmly slotting home. The home side were clearly shocked by this and it would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the scores stayed level for a period. Sadly this was not to be as the Panthers fell behind again within a minute to a well worked goal. A poorly defended third shortly before the break, with more than a hint of offside, made the mountain higher to climb.Having reorganised at the break Fleet battled hard and Oli Copeland joined Tom Skinner in attack and created a couple of chances the best of which was a freekick which Louis Astle struck well but straight at the keeper. As the game went on Fleet tired and Portsmouth took control of the match with their forwards swarming all over the Panthers backline scoring 4 times in the closing 15 minutes including a very harsh 'homer' penalty (and even that went in off of the post). Overall a gutsy performance losing out to a far better side who will be tough to beat in the County Cup. 

Sun 03-Oct-10 :-v- Guildford Saints United (SPL Div 2)
First league win of the season as some fine finishing was the difference between the Panthers and a decent Guildford side. The final scoreline was flattering and didn't really reflect the closeness of the game. Fleet got the perfect start when the in form Tom Skinner pounced on a throughball to outpace a flatfooted defence to score within 40 seconds of the start. Despite the early setback Guildford started to boss the midfield area and pressured the Panthers defence only to fine Kizza in solid form and a resolute backline working hard to clear their lines.  The Panthers always looked dangerous on the break but were unable to capitalise and eventually the Guildford pressure told when a scrambled goal as the defence failed to clear the ball away gave them a deserved equaliser. But as it looked as though the game was going to be level at halftime the Panthers retook the lead when Josh Clarke broke free and his shot was parried to Tom Skinner who slotted home to retake the lead.With the rain starting to get heavier and the Panthers having to reorganise with Liam ruled out through injury the Guildford side started the stronger and only some fine keeping from Kizza and some poor finishing prevented an equaliser. The decisive point of the match came within seconds of Guildford squandering a good chance as Fleet broke free, passed through the defence  and Tom Skinner expertly rounded the keeper to complete a very good hat-trick. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Guildford and a fourth goal again from Tom Skinner from a long clearance from Kizza settled the result. Further goals followed from long through passes as Andy Ingle netted well and Tom scored his fifth before a superb piece of skill and a fine shot by Josh Montgomery ended the scoring with the Panthers winning 7-1. Great performances from many of the team but notably Alex Bhagat, the prolific Tom Skinner, the brave and commanding Alex Osborne and MoM Kieran Patel.

Sun 26-Sept-10 :-v- AFC Westend (SPL Div 2)
Having discovered that AFC Westend were the Walton & Hersham team of last season the Panthers knew they were in for a tough game and the absence of star keeper Kizza added to the challenge. With the brave George Keeley deputising between the posts and after a fairly even start the physical and intimidating Westend side started to boss the game and opened a 2-0 lead after 25 minutes. The Panthers were offered a way back in to the game when a penalty was awarded after an innocuous challenge on Tom Skinner which Tom duly dispatched to make the score 2-1 at the break.Westend extended their lead at the start of the second half when George's goalkick was smashed back past him to make the score 3-1. However with MoM Louis Astle assigned to man mark the dangerous Westend forward the Panthers started to assert themselves on the game and a superb lobbed goal from Oli Copeland reduced the deficit.   Andrew Ingle took over in goal for the final 20 minutes and a spate of injuries forced a number of unplanned substitutions before Tom Skinner outpaced the Westend defence to score his second of the game and level the scores. A frantic finish saw the Panthers dominate with Josh Clarke and Michael Botevyle both having chances to win the game although a draw was probably a fair result on the day. 

Sun 19-Sept-10 : -v- Teddington Stags (SPL Div 2)
A bad day at the office for the Panthers as their opening league match of the new campaign resulted in a disappointing defeat to Teddington Stags. Things could have been so different though as a number of factors conspired to derail a good start to the game. Looking solid and organised Fleet dominated much of the opening session and deservedly took the lead when Tom Skinner got a glancing header to Andy Ingles' fine cross. Teddington equalised against the general run of play when the defence were caught out of position and short of pace as the forward was allowed to pick his spot to shoot past Kizza. The game remained at 1-1 until the break.The second half started with Fleet making 3 substitutions and several positional changes which seemed to unbalance the team who started to lose their shape. A poor clearance resulted in Teddington taking the league when a speculative punt forward caught Kizza sleeping and bounced over him in to the goal. The Panthers duly levelled things when Michael Botevyle lobbed the ball forward for the pacy Tom Skinner to out battle his marker and slide the ball home. Then the aberations started. Firstly a long ball forward was headed back towards his own goal by Ozzy and Kizza dallied around waiting for the ball to come in to the area rather than kicking it clear only for the lively Teddington forward to prod the ball past him and in to the gaping net. The Panthers looked stunned and Teddington started to dominate the match pinning Fleet in to their own half. Having ridden out the storm Tom Skinner was sent free and brought down in the penalty area for a blatant penalty. To everyones bemusement the referee awarded Fleet a freekick inside the area ........ which was duly wasted.  Instead of being level at 3-3 (assuming the penalty had been scored) Teddington broke clear and  setteled the game when a long through ball eluded the defence and the forward calmly lifted the ball over a flatfooted Kizza.A draw would have been a fair reflection of the game against a decent Teddington side. Kizza can put this one behind him - he will save us many times before the season is over. Honorable mentions to MoM Tom Skinner, the ever improving Alex Bhagat and Andrew Ingle. The rest of the Panthers were a little below par today.

Sun 12-Sept-10 : - v - AFC Ashurst (Hants County Cup)
Fleet travelled to AFC Ashurst in Southampton not really knowing what to expect and came away with a resounding victory in a one-sided affair. Tom Skinner started the goal rush with his pacy, lively forward play and despite a couple of periods when the lads lost their shape as they went in search of personal glory this was a disciplined display. Some scrappy goals and some fine finishes as a 10-0 half time lead was extended to an embarrassing 21-0 by the final whistle. The final goal tally read as follows - Josh Clarke(7), Tom Skinner(3), Tom Price(3), Oli Copeland(2), Sam Tookey(2), Joshua Montgomery, Louis Astle, Andrew Ingle and George Keeley.  Nice to see Sam and George break their goal duck (only Timmsy to go now) and another good display defensive display by Alex Bhagat earning him the MoM award.

Sat 04-Sept-10 :  - v -  Goldsworth Park Rangers (Friendly)
Fleet travelled to a vastly improved Goldsworth Park Rangers and came away with a deserved draw as a fine Tom Skinner goal pulled them level having fallen behind early on. With the manager experimenting with various formations Fleet still dominated much of the play and the tinkering brought to light the potential of MoM Alex Bhagat as a left back for the coming season. Timmsy had better watch out !

Wed 01-Sept-10 :   - v - Knaphill Spartans (Friendly)
Encouraging performance from Fleet who outplayed their higher division opponents for much of the game before being pipped towards the end of a keenly contested game. Starting brightly the lively Tom Skinner caused the Knaphill defence no end of problems with his pace and drive and only poor finishing prevented the Panthers opening a convincing lead. The best opportunity to take the lead came when Josh Montgomery blazed a penalty over the bar after Tom Skinner had been brought down. The lead eventually game when Josh Clarke smashed home a rebound after Tom Skinner's shot had been parried. As the game went on Knaphill became stronger and equalised with a fine long range shot and took the lead with a similar effort minutes later as Fleet failed to clear their lines. A scrappy third goal as a Knaphill forward dribbled through the defence and prodded the ball past Kizza gave the final scoreline a false reflection of the game. Lots to encourage the Panthers who must learn to take their chances when they come along. MoM was awarded to Tom Skinner for his fine forward play.